One Life, In A Cabaret

One Life, In A Cabaret
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Entertainer Tym Moss, post-performance at Don’t Tell Mama on NYC’s Restaurant Row

Entertainer Tym Moss, post-performance at Don’t Tell Mama on NYC’s Restaurant Row

Nathan James

If ever there is a quintessentially New York form of theater, it must be the intimate, soulful pairing of artist and audience that you only experience in cabaret shows. Once thought a dying form of entertainment, today you can cast about Manhattan (and even some of the boroughs!) and find yourself drawn away to another world. Last night, I was completely swept away by just such a diversion, by accomplished actor, vocalist, and radio personality Tym Moss, whose bravura performance was a poignant, yet soaring tour de force of his life and times. The setting for Tym Moss (A)Live, his “first legitimate cabaret show” as Tym put it, was Don't Tell Mama, the Restaurant Row fixture that has been making book as a premier nightspot for the past 35 years. A bevy of notables were in attendance, including famed fashion designer Nicole Miller, celebrity photographer Billy Hess and his husband Mark De Alwis (who expertly coiffed Tym for the show), pop star Aaron Paul, writer Jed Ryan, and comedian Ike Avelli. Tym’s presentation was more than just a collection of songs and witty repartee, though. Accompanied by pianist and musical director Andrew Sotomayor, Tym proceeded to have a discussion with my feelings, in the telling of his story.

It’s a lot, seriously, for anyone to let the skeletons of their life to slip out of the closet for all to see. To do it in front of an audience, is to display a level of courage few will find the strength to muster up, or carry with them all the way through the concert. Tym, whose journey takes in his experiences as a bullied gay teen in the Midwest, through the anguish of deferred dreams that pushed him into downward-spiraling drug addiction, to his uplifting realization that his passion for art and theater was the only way out of the darkness. With self-deprecating good humor, and songs that span four decades, Tym spoke from his heart to mine, and to those of all assembled. (Now, Don’t Tell Mama makes cocktails that will only—ahem!—amplify the experience. You have been duly advised.) His opening Dream Medley, a hilariously ad-libbed congeries of pop tunes past and present, was a lighthearted romp into a musical soliloquy that opened wide the book of Tym’s fascinating odyssey from Indiana to Manhattan.

Nothing was left untouched, as the Artists Exposed radio host recounted the harrowing death of his mother twenty years ago, described the descent into a cocaine habit that he likened to “being in an abusive relationship—but the sex was great!”, and finally having the epiphany that brought him back to his true calling on the stage. Tym is a resident of the theater, and if the acquisition of an address in that community is the process of growing through performing, then he has well and truly paid his mortgage in full. Among Tym’s achievements are countless appearances around NYC and beyond, plus his engaging album Free Again, and starring roles in the upcoming musical comedy film Junk, along with the stage production of Stories: The Play. Wherever he practices his craft, Tym brings his material to vivid, enthralling life, and audiences come away knowing their entertainment dollars were well spent.

At the end of last night’s packed show (the final one of three), Tym was given two standing ovations by a very enthusiastic crowd. The finely crafted exposition of Tym’s triumphs and turbulence was achieved under the superb direction of cabaret master Lennie Watts, who showcased his subject’s talents to perfection. If you come upon the opportunity to see Tym, whether live on stage, on film, or over the air, do not hesitate to avail yourself of it. See him sing, dance, speak, and set you free. It’s all about the life.

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